The invention relates to the field of electrical connecting terminals generally and, more particularly, to a terminal for electrical conductors adapted to be quickly connectable to associated electrical equipment.
In the field of electrical equipment design, there has always been a problem of adapting the equipment in such a manner that it may be safely, quickly and semi-permanently connected to an electric power distribution network. With equipment requiring relatively small amounts of power, power cords equipped with plugs for connection via jacks to an electrical network suffices. However, as the power requirements of electric equipment increase so does the complexity of providing a safe, quickly connectable termination for electrical conductors conducting current to the electrical equipment.
An electric conductor terminal having a U-shaped pressure piece tightenable about the conductor by means of a screw is known from German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2 161 882. A power bus bar of electrical equipment to be connected is provided via an insulator with an assembly leg for connection to a supporting bar. The terminal is secured to the bus bar by a spring tab of the terminal and engages a corresponding detent recess of an electrical current bridge.
Furthermore, a terminal screw and a U-shaped pressure piece guidingly disposed inside the terminal are designed together such that the U-shaped pressure piece pinches the detented electrical current bridge and further holds the bridge when the terminal screw is tightened. While such an arrangement provides one arrangement whereby an electrical conductor is both secured and pinched in place in a relatively quick, yet semi-permanent manner, there is no suggestion of a quick, efficient means for both connecting the terminal to an item of electrical equipment as well as to an electrical distribution network. Also, there is no provision for multiconductor connection. Perhaps most importantly, from a safety standpoint, the known device permits human exposure to exposed electrical conductors.
Consequently, there is a need in the art to provide a terminal which can be connected in a simple manner and is protected against human external contact, especially finger contact.